Latch for awnings



1943- H. c. WHEELER 2,327,232

LATCH FOR AWNINGS Filed Feb. 27, 1943 i C ZINVENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

Patented Aug. 17, 1943 .r'

UNITED STAT ES PATENT foFfFic-s LATCH FOR AWNINGS Harry 0. Wheeler,Middletown, Ohio Application February 27, 1943, Serial No. 477,481

. 12 Claims.

This invention relates to a latch for an awning. In a very common typeof awning the awning cover is supported in its extended position by aU-shaped frame the side arms of which are pivotally connected withmembers slidably mounted on upright guides'secured to the building. Inthe usual construction these slidable members and the connected ends ofthe frame arms are in their lowermost positions when the awning israised and when the awning is lowered the arms are moved to theirhorizontal positions and the slidable members secured in their elevatedpositions, this being usually accomplished by inserting pins throughopenings in the guides. The insertion of such a pin requires the use ofboth hands, one to support the side arm of the frame and the other toinsert the pin, and this is often very inconvenient, particularly whenaccess to the guides is more or less diflicult, as for ex ample, whenthe guides are arranged at the sides of a window and the slidable membermust be reached from the inside of the building. If the pin is notproperly inserted the vibration of the frame by the wind is apt todisplace the same and release the side arm. Further, the pins, which arenot in use when the awning is raised, are attached to the building bycords which frequently break, resulting in the loss of the pin,particularly when the cords have deteriorated by exposure to theweather; I

' One object of the invention is to provide a latch which willautomatically move to arm supporting position when the slidable memberhas been moved to the upper end of the guide, and may be easily actuatedto release the arm.

A further object of the invention is to provide such a latch which willbe retracted by the upward movement of the arm and will then move to armsupporting position, and which is provided with means for properlypositioning the latch for retraction by the upward movement of theslidable member.' 7

A further object of the invention is to provide such a latch havingmeans operable by one hand of the operator to retract the same andrelease the arm. I

A further object of the invention is to provide such a latch havingmeans for positively moving the same to arm supporting position when theslidable member is moved to the upper end of the guide.

A further object of the invention is to provide a rigid one piecepivoted latch having means for directions and for manually movng thesame to arm releasing position. I

A further object of the invention is to provide means for mounting thelatch on the supporting bracket of a previously installed guide withlittle or no modification of the guide or bracket. 7

Other objects of the invention may appear as the device is described indetail.

In the accompanying drawing Fig. 1 is a side elevation, partly brokenaway, of an awning equipped with my invention; Fig, 2 is a frontelevation of the latch showing the same in the path of the slidablemember; Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the structure shown in Fig. 2;Fig, 4 is a perspective view showing the slidable member in' its fullyelevated position; Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the structure shown inFig. 2; and Fig. 6 is a detail view of the device for attaching the latcto the bracket which supports the guide.

In the drawing I have illustrated one embodiment of the invention andhave shown the same in connection with a slidable member and guide oftyp s which are in common use but it will be understood that the latchmay take various forms and may be used in connection with guides andslidable members of various kinds.

As shown in Fig. l'the cover IU of the awning is supported by the usualU-shaped frame which comprises the longitudinal bar I I, which hassupporting connection with the lower portion of the cover, and sidearms, one of which is shown at present instance the guide I4 is in theform of a positively limiting its pivotal movement in both rod and issupported at its upper and lower ends by brackets I5 which-are providedwith socket members I6 to receive-therespective ends of the guide rod.The brackets are secured to the building in any suitable manner, as-byscrews ii. -The slidable member -'I3 ishere' shown'in the form of asleeve slidably mounted on the guide rod and having inwardly projectingpivot lugs Iii to which the end of the adjacent side arm I2 is pivotallyconnected. I

The latch may be formed=of one or more pieces but i preferably: rigidthroughout and is here shown as cast in a single piece. It comprises anelongate body portion I9 having near its upper end means whereby it maybe pivotally mounted on a fixed support adjacent the upper end of theguide I4. Preferably it is mounted on the upper bracket and the pivotpin, shown at 20, may be mounted in the socket member iii of the upperbracket or it may be mounted in an attaching device, as here shown, andwhich will be hereinafter described. Adjacent its lower end the body isprovided with a transverse finger 2! which is movable, by the swingingof the body, into and out of the path of the slidable member I3-l8 andconstitutes a retaining member the upper edge of which extends beneathand has supporting engagement with the lugs, I8 of the slidable memberwhen the latter-is in its proper elevated position.' This upper edge ispreferably curved substantially about the axis of the body, as shown at22, to permit the same to be easily retracted while the weight of theslidable member and arm rests thereon. When the slidable member is inits lower position the retaining member 2| extends into the path of theslidable member above the same and the lower edge of the retainingmember is inclined, and preferably slightly curved, as shown at 23, sothat the engagement of the slidable member therewith, as the slidablemember moves upwardly, will retract the retaining member, that-is, camthe same out of the path of the slidable member, as shown in dottedlines in Fig. 2. The. free end of the retaining member or finger 2|remains in contact with the adjacent lug l8 until the slidable memberhas moved past the retaining member and the latter is then released formovement to retaining positionbeneath theslidable member. Manuallyoperated-means are provided for retracting the retaining member andreleasing the slidable member for downward movement and in the presentinstance this means comprises a short arm 24 rigid-with and forming anextension of the body [9 and extending beyond the pivotal axis of thebody l9 Preferably this arm 24 is provided with a laterally extendinglug 25 which con stitutes a finger piece whereby the latch as a wholemay be swung about its pivotal axis to withdraw the retaining memberfrom beneath the sl-idable member, This lug 25 is so arranged withrelation tothe axis of the latch that when the retaining device has beenfully retracted, as shown in Fig. 2, the lug 25 will engage the guide itand prevent further pivotal movement of the latch, thus avoiding thepossibility-of the latch being swung entirely across its pivotal axisdue to a violent impact of the slidable member with the retainingmember.

The latch is preferably mounted for free pivotal movement-about its axisso that when unrestrained it will move. by gravity to a position inwhich the retaining member-is in the path of the slidable member, asshown in Fig. 2, The weightof the lower portion of the latch is suchthat this gravitational movement will be effected quickly and to preventthe retaining member from swinging beyond its proper position withrelation to the slidable member it is provided with a lateral lug 26arranged to engage the guide M. However, even when the latch has freepivotal movement when installed the pivotal connection will sometimes becaused to bind, due to corrosion 01' rough usage, in such a manner as toretard or prevent the gravitational movement of the latch to retainingposition. Therefore, I have further so arranged the lug 25 that when theretaining member.is in its retracted position this lug will lie in thepath of the slidable member near the upper limit of the movement of thelatter and the impact of v the slldable member with the lug-willpositively move the latch,- to retaining position. In the,arrangementshownin Fig, 2 the slidable member will move a slightdistance beyond its normal position and, alter the retaining member hasmoved beneath the same, it will drop back onto the retaining surface.

As above stated, the latch can be pivotally mounted directly on theguide supporting bracket but this involves some modification of thebracket, at least to the extent of drilling and tapping a hole toreceive the pivot screw. Thereforein order to facilitate the mounting ofthe latch on existing installations I have provided an attaching deviceon which the latch is pivotally mounted and which can be attached to thesupporting bracket without modification of the latter. As here shownthis attaching device comprises a U-shaped member of sheet metal thelower arm 21 of which is provided with an opening 28 to receive andembrace the guide l4 adjacent to the bracket !5. The upper arm 29 of theU-shaped member rests upon the upper portion of the socket member of thebracket and has its rear end upturned, as shown at 30, and provided witha slot M which, when the device is in position on any standard bracket,will register with the lower screw hole in the upper portion of thebracket. The latch is pivotally mounted on the vertical portion 32 ofthe U-shaped member, the pivot member being shown in the form of a rivetwhich permanently connects the two parts for free pivotal movement. Thusin order to mount the latch on a previously installed awning structureit is only necessary to remove the top bracket l5, slip the U-shapedattaching device over the socket member of that bracket and then insertthe upper end of the guide through the opening in the member 21 of theattaching device and into the socket. The bracket is then again attached to the building by screws H, the lowermost of these screws beinginserted through the upper slotted part of the attaching device so as torigidly connect the latter with the bracket.

While I have shown and described one embodiment of my invention I wishit to be understood that I do not desire to be limited to the detailsthereof as various modifications may occur to a person skilled in theart.

Having now fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desireto secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A latch for an awning of the type including a frame having an armpivotally connected with a.member slidably mounted on an upright guide,said latch comprising an elongate body having near it upper end meanswhereby it may be pivotally mounted on a fixed support adjacent theupper end of said guide, a retaining member carried by the lower portionof said body and supported thereby normally in the path of said slidablemember, said retaining member having an inclined lower surface to beengaged by said slidable member upon the upward movement of the latterto retract said retaining member and then release the same for movementto retaining position beneath said slidable member when the latter hasmoved past the same, and manually actuated means carried by said body tomove said retaining member from retaining position and release saidslidable member for downward movement.

2. A latch for an awning of the type including a frame having an armpivotally connected with a member slidably mounted on an upright guide,said latch comprising an elongate body having near its upper end meanswhereby it may be pivotally mounted on afixed support adjacent the upperend or said guide, a. retaining member UHUQC) M ltii mi FLEXIBLE dPORTABLE .1 P. 2,827,232 carried by the lower portion of said body andsupported thereby normally in the path-of said shdable member, saidretaining member having an inclined lower surface to be engaged by saidslidable member upon the upward movement of the latter to retract saidretaining member and then release the same for movement to retainingposition beneath said slidable member when the latter has moved past thesame, said retaining member having its upper surface curvedsubstantially about the pivotal axis of said body, and a manuallyoperated part rigid with the upper portion of said body to move saidretaining member from its retaining position.

3. A latch for an awning of the type including a frame having an armpivotally connected with a member slidably mounted on an upright guide,said latch comprising an elongate body having near its upper end meanswhereby it may be pivotally mounted on a fixed support adjacent theupper end of said guide, a retaining member carried by the lower portionof said body and supported thereby normally in the path of saidslidable'member, said retaining member having an inclined lower surfaceto be engaged by said slidable member upon the upward movement of thelatter to retract said retaining memher and then release the same formovement to retaining position beneath said slidable member when thelatter has moved past the same, and a part carried by said body to limitthe pivotal movement of said retaining member by the impact of saidslidable member.

4. A latch for an awning of the typ including a frame having an armpivotally connected with a member slidably mounted on an upright guide,said latch comprising an elongate body having near its upper end meanswhereby it may be pivotally mounted on a fixed support adjacent theupper end of said guide, a retaining member carried by the lower portionof said body and supported thereby normally in the path of said slidablemember, said retaining member having an inclined lower surface to beengaged by said slidable member upon the upward movement of the latterto retract said retaining member and then release the same for movementto retaining position beneath said slidable member when the latter hasmoved past the same, and means actuated by said slidable member topositively move said retaining member to retaining position.

5. A latch for an awning of the type including a frame having an armpivotally connected with a member slidably mounted on an upright guide,said latch comprising an elongate body having near its upper end meanswhereby it may be pivotally mounted on a fixed support adjacent theupper end of said guide, a retaining member carried by the lower portionof said body and supported thereby normally in the path of said slidablemember, said retaining member having an inclined lower surface to beengaged by said slidable member upon the upward movement of the latterto retract said retaining member and then release the same for movementto retain ing position beneath said slidable member when the latter hasmoved past the same, and a part rigid with the upper portion of saidbody and movable upon the retraction of said retaining member into aposition to be engaged and actuated by said slidable member to move saidretaining member to retaining position.

6. A latch for an awning of the type including a frame having an armpivotally connected with a member slidablytmounted on an upright guide,said latch comprising an elongate body having near its upper end meanswhereby it may be pivotally mounted Qua-fixed support adjacent the upperend of said-guide, a retaining member carried by the lower portion ofsaid body and supported thereby normally in the path of said slidablemember, said retaining member having an inclined lower surface to beengaged by said slidable member upon the upward movement of the latterto retract said retaining member and then release the same for movementto retaining position beneath said slidable member when the latter hasmoved past the same, and means carried by said body to limit the pivotalmovement of the latter, to positively move said retaining member toretaining position and to move said retaining member from retainingposition.

7. A latch for an awning of the type including a frame having an armpivotally connected with a member slidably mounted on an upright guide,said latch comprising an elongate body having near its upper end meanswhereby it may be pivotally mounted on a fixed support adjacent theupper end of said guide, a retaining member carried by the lower portionof said body and supported thereby normally in the path of said slidablemember, said retaining member having an inclined lower surface to beengaged by said slidable member upon the upward movement of the latterto retract said retaining member and then release the same for movementto retaining position beneath said slidable member when the latter hasmoved past the same, and a part rigid with the upper portion of saidbody to engage said guide near the upper limit of movement of saidslidable member to limit the pivotal movement of said body by the impactof said slidable member with said retaining member and to be engaged bysaid slidable member to positively move said retaining member toretaining position.

8. A latch for an awning of the type including a frame having an armpivotally connected with a member slidably mounted on an upright guide,said latch comprising an elongate body having near its upper end meanswhereby it may be pivotally mounted on a fixed support adjacent to theupper end of said guide and having near its lower end a retaining memberbiased to a position in the path of said slidable member, said retainingmember having an inclined lower surface portion to be engaged by saidslidable member upon the upward movement of the latter to retract saidretaining member and then release the same for movement to retainingposition beneath said slidable member when the latter has moved past thesame, and a part carried by said body to engage said guide and positionsaid inclined surface portion in the path of said slidable member.

9. A latch structure for an awning of the type including an uprightguide, supporting brackets for the upper and lower ends of said guide,means for securing said brackets to a building, a member slidablymounted on said guide and a frame having an arm pivotally connected withsaid slidable member, said latch structure including an attaching devicesupported by said upper bracket and having means whereby it may besecured to said bracket by the same means which secures said bracket tosaid building, and a latch member pivotally mounted on said attachingdevice coal mi HUUlll and having a part :movable into and out 01 thepath of said slidable member.

=10. A latch structure for an awning of the type including an uprightguide, supporting brackets having socket members to receive the upperand lower ends 01 said guide, means for securing said brackets to abuilding, a. member slidably mounted on said'guideand a, frame having anarm pivotally connected with. said slidable member, said latch structureincluding a substantially U- shaped attaching device having a verticalpart and upper: and lower arms adapted to embrace the socket member ofthe upper bracket, the lower aim of said device having an opening toreceive said guide and the upper arm thereof having a part to be engagedby the means for securing said bracket to the building, and a latchmember .pivotallymolmted on the vertical part of said U-shaped deviceand having a part movable into and out of the path 01 said slidablemember. i

:11. A latch of the character described comprising an elongateubodyhaving near one end thereoi menus wherebyfit may be pivotally mounted ona, fixed support and having near the other end thereof a. transverseretaining member having that edge thereof adjacent the pivotal axis ofsaid body curved substantially about said axis and having its other edgeinclined, said body also having near the first mentioned end thereof atransverse part rigid therewith to limit the pivotal movement of saidbody in one direction and operable to move said retaining member intoand out of retaining position.

12. In a latch for a device of the type including a guide and a memberslidable on said guide, an elongate body having near one end thereofmeans whereby it may be plvotally mounted on a fixed support adjacentsaid guide, having near the other end thereof a transverse retainingmembe! for retaining said slldable member and provided with an inclinedsurface, and having near the first mentioned end thereof a part operableby said slldable member to move said retaining member into retainingposition and manually oparable to move said retaining member out ofretaining position;

HARRY C. WHEELER.

